Italy's 5-Star expels four senators as internal dissent grows

Leader
of the 5-Star movement and comedian Beppe Grillo talks to
reporters at the end of consultations with Italian Prime
Minister-designate Matteo Renzi at the Parliament in
RomeThomson
Reuters

By Gavin Jones

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement on
Wednesday kicked out four senators for criticizing its leader
Beppe Grillo, in the latest sign of growing internal strife in
the party that took a quarter of votes at last year's election.

Polls suggest 5-Star has kept most of its support despite a
trickle of defections or expulsions of lawmakers unhappy with
Grillo, a fiery comedian who rode a wave of public disgust with
traditional parties to create a powerful political force.

In an online ballot, around 68 percent of the 43,000 5-Star
members who participated voted to expel senators Luis Orellana,
Francesco Campanella, Lorenzo Battista and Fabrizio Bocchino
following a recommendation by the party's lawmakers.

"Now we are slightly fewer but much much stronger and more
cohesive," said Grillo, whose movement still ranks as the third
biggest party in terms of seats in parliament.

But several 5-Star parliamentarians said they were unhappy with
the path the party was taking.

The movement is split between a majority of loyalists and a
growing minority of dissidents unhappy with Grillo's autocratic
methods and political strategy of hardline opposition.

Of the 54 senators and 109 lower house deputies elected last
year, eight senators and three deputies have now left 5-Star and
there has been media speculation for months of possible
defections by scores more of the young lawmakers, most of whom
had no previous political experience.

Grillo wrote on his blog that the four senators had been lazy and
were "no longer in synch with the movement," but the catalyst for
their expulsion was their criticism of Grillo in his dealings
with new Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

In a brief meeting with Renzi last week, broadcast online, Grillo
used the opportunity to attack the prime minister rather than
seek common ground as the dissidents would have preferred.

Some parliamentarians criticized the latest expulsions, raising
the prospect of more defections.

Lower house deputy Ivan Catalano said they signaled "the death of
the 5-Star Movement," while another deputy, Alessio Tacconi, said
he was considering quitting in solidarity with the former
senators.

The 5-Star Movement commands around 22 percent of the vote,
according to most opinion polls, down from the roughly 25 percent
it won at the February 2013 election.

Renzi, who heads a fragile left-right coalition, is likely to
welcome any signs of a 5-Star split. He has repeatedly appealed
to movement's parliamentarians to reject the uncompromising
opposition dictated by Grillo and to collaborate with his
government.